Lumen Christi's Schroeder, Lansing Catholic Girls Reign Again
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2026
BROOKLYN – Samantha Schroeder spent most of the regular season being chased.
But Saturday, the reigning Lower Peninsula Division 3 champion was doing the chasing.
The Jackson Lumen Christi senior defended her title by taking the lead over the final 200 meters at Michigan International Speedway, winning a second-straight Finals championship with a time of 17 minutes, 50.2 seconds.
“I wasn’t really sure, I felt so sick before, but I think it was just nerves,” Schroeder said. “I had an idea I could catch her. It is mentally difficult (to chase). You need to be mentally strong in order to do it, because everything in your body is telling you to stop. It hurts. It’s too cold. But you have to mentally tell yourself to stop talking and just go for it.”
Schroeder, who became the first Lumen Christi runner to win a Finals title a year ago, trailed by 12 seconds at the 2-mile mark of the race.
“I think I got to the 2 mile and I could see her stride was faltering a little bit,” Schroeder said. “I thought I could maybe catch her.”
As she crossed the finish line, Schroeder fell to the ground, exhausted but alert after running her personal-best time.
“It’s exhilarating,” Schroeder said. “There’s so much adrenaline going through my body. At times it’s very difficult to believe I just did that.”
The team race also featured a nail-biting repeat as Lansing Catholic won its third-straight title with 107 points, just 15 ahead of Lake City which was second at 122.
The two teams alternated runners in the final standings, but the Cougars were slightly ahead with each of their first five.
“Honestly, our team, we’ve won three in a row, so our girls know what they’re doing,” Lansing Catholic coach Tim Simpson said. “They put themselves out where they’re supposed to be. We just tell them, ‘Just run your race and we’ll be good.’ Josie Bishop had a great race. (Isabella) Currie, she’s a soccer player so she doesn’t run all our races, she came through with a big, big race. Then when our fourth or fifth girl almost dropped out, our sixth girl was right there. Everybody was in line, ready to do their job.”
Bishop was third overall in the race at 18:20.9, one spot ahead of Isadora Shaw of Lake City who was fourth in 18:34.6.
The gaps between the teams after that were two, two, three and seven places.
“It was a little tougher than we would like, but it was alright,” Simpson said. “We were pretty far ahead at (2 miles) … But we had enough. That’s our team.”
Grace Wonch was 17th (15th in team score) at 19:09.4, Anna Drauer was 24th (19) at 19:14.5, Currie was 40th (30) at 19:38.7 and Annie Lloyd rounded out the Lansing Catholic scorers in 53rd (40) in 19:51.3.
PHOTOS (Top) Jackson Lumen Christian’s Samantha Schroeder (1053) races toward the finish of the Division 3 girls race Saturday. (Middle) Lansing Catholic’s Josie Bishop runs to a third-place finish to lead the team champion. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)
Sault, Hancock, Chassell Girls Prevail
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 21, 2018
MUNISING — It was a historic day for Sault Ste. Marie’s cross country program Saturday as its girls team completed a sweep of the Upper Peninsula Division 1 titles 90 minutes after the boys started the championship run at Pictured Rocks Golf Course.
The Sault girls, placing three in the top 10 individuals, used their depth to win for the second time in three years with 56 points. Last year’s champion Marquette edged Houghton on a tie-breaker for runner-up honors as both teams scored 66 points.
“This is one for the record books,” said Sault coach Jim Martin. “This is the first time we won both in the same year.
“We had six girls who were hurt at some point of the season, but they kept getting better. We have a great coaching staff and new AD (athletic director) who’s doing an excellent job. This is a great day for our program.”
Negaunee junior Emily Paupore retained her championship, covering the 3.1-mile course in 19 minutes, 58.5 seconds on a cold, windy and blustery day.
“My original plan was to run this in about 18:40, but once we got here I kind of knew that wasn’t going to happen,” she said. “I was really excited to run. The weather didn’t really bother me. Once I got up the (last) hill, I saw my time and decided I wanted to go under 20.
“My dad and mom are always there to support me, and today my whole family was here to cheer me on.”
Marquette junior Ericka Asmus was runner-up at 20:30.5, followed by Houghton senior Anabel Needham (20:34.8), Ishpeming Westwood senior and last year’s D-2 champion Tessa Leece (20:40.1) and Houghton freshman Maria Velat (20:46.6).
Division 2
Hancock grabbed six of the top 12 spots to gain its first D-2 championship in five years with 26 points.
The Bulldogs were followed by 2017 champion St. Ignace with 62 and Munising at 79.
“The tightness among our girls was huge,” said Hancock coach Matt Dennis. “We were pack runners all year, and it was just a question of how close to the front we would be.
"The teams were very competitive in our area. We had great competition from Houghton and Chassell all year, which only made us better.”
St. Ignace senior Elizabeth Becker earned her first individual title in 20:46, followed by Munising senior Madeleine Peramaki (21:09), Ironwood senior Emily Carey (21:17.9), Ishpeming freshman Abby Racine (21:36.2) and Hancock freshman Kalli Chynoweth (21:37.3).
Division 3
Eben Junction Superior Central junior Danika Walters gained her D-3 crown at 20:37.9.
She was followed by Rock Mid-Peninsula sophomore and 2017 champion Daisy Englund (20:57.5), Chassell senior Lela Rautiola (21:32.8), Mid-Pen freshman Landry Koski (21:43.8) and Chassell freshman Paige Sleeman (21:49.7).
"I took a little more conservative approach today and tried to keep up with the Chassell girl (Rautiola),” said Walters. “I put on a surge at the mile mark and kept that pace.
“It basically feels great to be a U.P. champion, although it hasn’t quite set in yet. I took third at Norway last week, and I think it motivated me.”
Chassell, which grabbed five of the top eight places, retained its title with 25 points. The Panthers were followed by Cedarville with 84 and Mid-Pen with 95.
“Many of our girls have been running together for five years,” said Chassell coach Marco Guidotti. “This is a real cohesive unit. Our leadership is really infectious.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Negaunee's Emily Paupore (116) leads the pack in Division 1 with Sault Ste. Marie's Anna Hildebrand and Haleigh Knowles (131) following close behind. (Middle) Hancock's Kalli Chynoweth (142) and Ellie Sturos (147) led their team to the Division 2 title. (Below) Eben Junction Superior Central's Danika Walters (268) leads the Division 3 race with Chassell’s Lela Rautiola (263) and Rock Mid-Peninsula's Daisy Englund (355) pushing the pace. (Photos by Cara Kamps. Click for more at RunMichigan.com.)